Death toll from Cotabato clash climbs

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao (Xinhua) - Fresh clash between government troops and breakaway Muslim rebels in the southern Philippine province of North Cotabato have killed 17 rebels and a government soldier, and wounded at least 13 others, a military official said today.

The clash occurred Monday night in the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato Province between the government troops and members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a breakaway group of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said Eduardo Pangilinan, commander of the army's 6th Division.

The fighting broke out when BIFF men first attacked the reconnaissance company of the 61st Division around 12:15 a.m. at Ganta village in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, said another official Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army's 6th Infantry Division.

The second BIFF attack began at 1:15 a.m., targeting troops from the 62nd Division at Damablas village in Datu Piang town, said Hermoso.

"Seventeen BIFF (members) were killed. We have identified five of them already," said Hermoso, adding, "One soldier was also killed and three were wounded in action."  

Mindanao Human Rights Action Center executive director Bobby Benito told a local radio station that 10 civilians were wounded when a military mortar landed and exploded in the village of Penditan, adjacent village of Ganta.

The BIFF, founded by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Ameril Umbra Kato, defected to the MILF in late 2010 after the latter decided to drop its call for an independent Islamic state.